This invention relates generally to a communications system and more particularly to a communications system for providing customer service to a subscriber based at least in part upon information relating to a client system.
Customer service representatives receive calls from customers seeking help to resolve technical problems involving products and services, such as, for example, Internet access, computer software, and/or computer hardware. To assist in the resolution of technical problems, a customer service representative often requires certain information about the customer""s computer system. Such information may not be readily available, and a customer may not know or have the ability to find out the required information.
In one general aspect, customer service is provided based at least in part on analysis of the information related to a client associated with a subscriber of a communications system. The information may be generated by a diagnostic application configured to identify system characteristics of the client in response to a command by the subscriber.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features. For example, the diagnostic application may be installed on the client system, such as, in an OSP client application and/or an interactive TV client application. The diagnostic application also may be installed on a host system, such as, for example, an OSP host system. The host system may receive at least a portion of the information related to the client system by e-mail, instant messaging, or in an on-line chat room.
The diagnostic application may include a program that loads dynamic link libraries having a predetermined extension and may be configured to identify hardware and/or software characteristics of the client system. The diagnostic application may create an output file including information related to disk drive space, a location of a file and/or folder of a client application, a pathname of a computer program, a version of a computer program (e.g., browser application), a client processor, client memory, system resources, multimedia capability, client status, and/or compliance with recommended system requirements. The output file information may be stored on the client and/or the host.
The host system may provide customer service including remedial steps for improving client performance such as, for example, clearing a cache, installing software, uninstalling software, and/or updating software.
These and other aspects may be implemented by an apparatus and/or a computer program stored on a computer readable medium. The computer readable medium may be a disk, a client device, a host device, and/or a propagated signal. Further, these general and specific aspects may be implemented using a method, a system, or a computer program, or any combination of systems, methods, and computer programs.
Other features and advantages will be apparent from the following description, including the drawings, and the claims.